Colin Gray, age 55, received a 15-year prison sentence following his conviction in March on charges of murder, manslaughter, and other offenses related to a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. The attack resulted in the deaths of two educators and two students: Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, both 14 years old, along with teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Gray’s 16-year-old son, Colt Gray, pleaded guilty to the murders earlier in the week, and evidence established that the son used a rifle that had been given to him as a gift by his father.
Judge Nicholas Primm delivered the sentence on Thursday, handing down 15 years for each second-degree murder conviction and 10 years for each involuntary manslaughter charge, with all sentences to run simultaneously. The sentencing came after prosecutors had requested the maximum 80-year prison term, while the defense presented arguments for a 10-year sentence. During his remarks, the judge criticized Gray for failing to enroll his son in counseling, failing to monitor his son’s online activities, and neglecting to secure the firearms in his home.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that Colin Gray had purchased an AR-style rifle for his son as a Christmas gift the year prior to the attack, despite the boy having been questioned by authorities approximately seven months earlier about online threats targeting a school. Prosecutors highlighted multiple warning indicators, including a notebook containing plans to harm students and staff. Assistant District Attorney Patricia Brooks characterized the situation as one in which the father ignored escalating signs of his son’s deteriorating mental condition and then provided access to a weapon. Gray’s legal team sought to place primary responsibility on his son for making the decision to carry out the attack.
The case represents the third instance in the United States in which a parent has faced criminal charges for a mass shooting perpetrated by their child, following precedent-setting prosecutions of parents in Michigan in April 2024.
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